Grain cleaning machines



Sept. 10, 1968 P. E. HEDLEY GRAIN CLEANING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed June 2, 1966 lNV ENTOR Percy E. Hadley Agent Sept. 10, 1968 P. E.HEDLEY GRAIN CLEANING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 2, 1966INVENTOR Percy E. Hadley United States Patent 3,400,816 GRAIN CLEANINGMACHINES Percy E. Hedley, Hamiota, Manitoba, Canada Filed June 2, 1966,Ser. No. 554,753 Claims. (Cl. 209-135) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An airblast machine for seed grain cleaning, wherein a paddle-type blast fanis positioned across one end of a passageway and a grain hopper acrossthe opposite end; a complete crosswise opening is provided through thebottom of the fan casing so air can be fan-sucked therethrough anddelivered by said fan in an equalized cross blast toward the hopper; arotary shaft crosses the hopper for evenly ejecting feeding graintherefrom against the air blast and for gravity-fall therethrough to alower divider, a step being provided across the hopper feed forcontrolled grain flow over the step and stoppage of stones thereagainst.

This invention relates to a cleaning machine for separating seed grainfrom combined grain by passing the combined g-rain through an air blast.While the principle of such separation is known, the present methodsused are relatively crude and result in poor separation, mainly due tothe many eddy currents set up in the blast. These eddy currents arecreated in the transition from cross air currents to fan-expelledcurrent at right angles to the cross currents. In other words; as theair is drawn in from the sides and curved into a driven stream along themachine by fan blades.

It is known to expel such air currents through a series of honeycombpassages to reduce the eddies, but such constructions are costly, thespeed of the air stream is materially cut down, while small air currentsare still set-up in each passage. A central vertical partition along thedelivery passage has also been tried, but this merely results in a heavyvolume of air along each side of the partition, with progressivereduction of the volume and velocity as the distance increases from thepartition.

The trend of present methods also is for direct gravitational fall ofthe grain matcrialthrough the air blast, or in the same generaldirection. Accordingly, the heavy particles tend to get behind andprotect the lighter particles from the air blast. It is further notedthat no provision is made in these methods for restraining and removingcasual stones from the material being cleaned.

The principal object of the present invention is: to design a graincleaner of the above type, wherein the intake and delivery of the airare both in the same verti- 4 cal plane for an even blast across thefalling material.

A further object of the invention is: to power deliver the material in adirection toward the air blast for primary separation of the light andheavy components by gravity, before they pass through said air blast.

A further object of the invention is: to provide means in the cleaninghopper for catching casual stones, and for visually indicating theirpresence, so they can be removed.

Still further objects of the invention are: to construct the inventionin a simple, economical and durable manner, for ready adaptation to acombine grain delivery system, for ease of manufacture and operation,and for a long period of useful and satisfactory service.

With the above important and other minor objects in view, which willbecome more apparent as the disclosure proceeds, the invention consistsessentially in the original construction and arrangement of the variousparts hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of the machine.

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view through the machine, and taken on theline 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section centrally throughand along the machine.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of the hopper feed construction, as shownin FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view of the shaft connection to the fan, asshown in FIGURE 3.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several figures.

A pair of spaced vertical frames 10 and 11 are supported in elevatedposition, each by a pair of legs 12 and 13, one adjacent each endthereof. The facing sides of these frames are covered with sheeting 14,such as thin plywood, to provide a walled passageway therebetween. Aboxing 15 extends across and is supported by the frames It) and 11, andat one end thereof.

Each of the side frames 10 and 11, at the ends remote from the boxing,is provided with a central horizontal support bar 16 therealong. Each ofthese bars support a bearing 17, which in turn rotatably receive andsupport a cross shaft 18. A fan 19 is built on this cross shaft byarranging arms 20 thereon, as shown in FIGURE 5, and at each end of thecross shaft. The arms are formed from flat bars which can be clampedtight to the cross shaft by bolts 21, and arranged in align ment so flatblades 22 can be suitably secured across their outer ends for air movingpurposes, when the fan is rotated.

A semi-circular casing 23 is constructed around the fan (see FIGURE 3),starting at the lower fan corners of the frames 10 and 11. The upper endof this casing connects with a slightly downward sloping partition 24,which terminates some distance short of the boxing 15. A shorterpartition 25 is spaced below the partition 24, and extends from theperiphery line of the fan at a point just below the cross shaft to aposition directly below the same end of the partition 24, but in closerrelation, thus providing a tapered air delivery spout 26 between thesheetings 14. It will also be noted that the bottom of the fan casing isspaced from this second partition, to provide a lower air entrance tothe fan. Long bolts 27 are positioned adjacent suitable cross spacingmembers 28, to pass through and across between the frames 10 and 11.These bolts are nut-tightened on their ends, against the outer sides ofthe frames 10 and 11, as shown at 29, to hold the fan casing andpartitions mentioned in place.

A motor 30 is mounted on a cross plate 31 on the frames 10 and 11. Thismotor drives the fan, through a belt 32 and suitable pulleys 33 and 34.It will be seen by the applied arrows in FIGURE 3 that, when the fan ispower rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, air will be drawn upfrom the bottom of the casing, through the lower spacing mentioned,instead of from side openings around the fan shaft, and this air will bedirected along the spout 26 and delivered in a relatively even blastalong the passageway, and under the boxing 15, without eddy currents.

The boxing 15 comprises a pair of spaced side members 35', which sit onthe frames 10 and 11. A sloping partition 36 extends therebetween, andfrom the upper left corners to the lower right corners. An adjustablegate 37 is positioned above and at right angles to the partition 36, andextends past the upper right hand corners. Suitable nut-tightening crossbolts 38 hold the parts tightly in place,

and the partition .36 and gate 37 provide a grain receiving hopper, thegrain therein being indicated at 39.

The lower end of the partition 36 receives a heavy cross member 40thereover (see FIGURE 4), and a downturned angle member 41 reststhereon. Accordingly, the grain from the hopper will gravitate downunder the gate 37, and flow over the wide flange 42 of the angle member.At the same time, casual stones will also gravitate down and be stoppedby the narrow down-turned flange 43 of the angle member. The stones areindicated at 44. To center the flow of this feeding grain over the anglemember, a pair of rails 45 are provided thereabove, one at each endthereof.

To increase the flow of the grain over the angle memher, a square crossrod 46 is mounted in bearings 47 on the walls of the boxing 15, the rodbeing positioned just over the flange 42, and in front of the gate 37.This square rod is driven from the opposite end of the fan shaft 18,through a belt 48 and suitable pulleys 49 and 50. When the caught stones44 at the bottom of the hopper interfere with the grain feed, the lackof grain across the flange 42 will be observable, and the operator candirect his hand down through the grain in the hopper for removal ofthese stones.

To complete the grain cleaner, a grain divider 51 is formed from twoopposite downwardly sloping chutes 52 and 53. The ends of these chutesare each provided with a horizontal runner 54, which is slidable onhorizontal guides 55, carried by the side frames 10 and 11. Accordingly,the divider can be adjusted toward or away from the fan. As the frames10 and 11 are supported well above the ground, removable bins 56 and 57can be inserted 7 thereunder, to receive grain therefrom.

In operation: the hopper is filled with combined grain, which normallyis far from clean. The gate 37 is adjusted, and the motor 30 is started.The rotating feed rod 46 will drive a heavy flow of this combined graindown and over the flange 42 of the angle member for a flying leap offthe end thereof toward and above the fan blast emanating from the spout26. As the heaviest particles or kernels will travel farther than thelight ones, and this separation is accentuated as the blast is reached,the separation is so far advanced by the time they fall through theblast that the fast moving air can easily slip past the heavy kernelsfor full effect against the light ones, to increase the distance. Inother words, the extra heavy kernels, indicated by the dotted lines 58,will follow the paths shown, and well ahead of the lighter kernels whichare indicated by the dotted lines 59. Accordingly, a perfectly cleanseparation is accomplished by the time the g-rain has passed through theblast. As the divider 51 is movable and the grain separation is socomplete, the setting for the best grain is not critical, and theheaviest and plumpest grain will slide down the chute 53 into theremovable bin 57 for seed grain, while the lighter kernels will slidedown the chute 52 into the removable bin 56 for other use, such as stockfeed. The chafl will be completely blown out the back and over thedivider.

From the above disclosure it will be seen that this machine will notonly efficiently separate the choicest kernels in the cleanest possiblemanner, but will handle a tremendous quantity of combine grain for thispurpose, and in a minimum of time, including a continuous rate. It willalso be seen that the machine is extremely light in weight in comparisonto the work performed, and is therefore easily portable around a farm oran elev-ator. It can also be easily installed into the grain deliverysystem of a combine to materially raise the grain cleaning efliciency ofsuch machines.

While care has been taken to clearly explain the principle of operationof this grain cleaning machine, for broad claim interpretation, theadjustment controls and fastenings have not been elaborated on, asconsiderable modification of such are often necessary in suiting therequirements of use, as will be understood, and without departing fromthe spirit of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a grain cleaning machine: an open elongated walled passageway; asemi-circular casing closing off one end of the passageway; one end ofsaid casing terminating in a tapered spout in the direction of theopposite end of the passageway; the opposite end of the casing spacedfrom the spout; a fan mounted in the casing for trapping air at saidspacing, and from the passageway, for ejection in a blast through andfrom the spout, in the rotation of said fan; a grain hopper on theopposite end of the passageway, for directing grain from the hoppertoward said blast, and for gravity fall through the blast; a dividermounted on the lower part of the passageway, to receive said fallinggrain; opposing sloping chutes on the divider, for separating anddirecting said grain, when received thereon; and means for driving saidfan.

2. In a grain cleaning machine as defined in claim 1, wherein saidcasing and said spout are formed from partitions crossing saidpassageway, clamped in place by bolts passing through and between thesides of said passage- Way.

3. In a grain cleaning machine as defined in claim 1, wherein a paddlefan is used; and a driven cross shaft in the hopper power delivers thehopper grain against the blast.

4. In a grain cleaning machine as defined in claim 1, wherein adown-turned angle member crosses the hopper at the feed end thereof, toprovide a step for passage of the hopper grain thereover and a stop forstones thereagainst.

5. In a grain cleaning machine: an open elongated walled passageway; apaddle fan rotatably mounted across one end of the passageway; asemi-circular casing around the fan, closing said passageway end, andhaving a projecting spout; a lower opening between said casing and thespout; said fan, in its rotation, adapted to trap air from thepassageway, through said opening and into the fan casing, for deliveryby centrifugal force, out the spout in a blast toward the opposite endof the passageway; a grain hopper mounted on the opposite end of thepassageway; a power cross shaft on the hopper, for directing grain fromthe hopper toward said blast, and for gravity fall through the blast; adivider mounted for adjusted movement along the passageway, and havingoppositely sloping chutes thereon; said divider positioned below thespout blast, to receive said falling grain, and for delivery of saidgrain down said chutes; a down-turned angle member crossing the hopper,at the feed end thereof, and a stop for stones thereagainst; and meansfor driving said :fan and said power cross shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 734,761 7/1903 Smith 209-1,205,739 11/1916 Hatfield 209-245 X 1,299,181 4/1919 Harry 209-506 X1,420,593 6/ 1922 Titchmarsh 209-135 2,026,910 1/1936 Olsen 209-1372,152,143 3/1939 Martin 209-506 X 2,828,011 3/1958 Whitby 209-135 XFOREIGN PATENTS 10,211 1/1901 Norway.

HARRY B. THORNTON, Primary Examiner.

TIM R. MILES, Assistant Examiner.

